What is an Android phone?

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An Android phone is a smartphone that uses the Android operating system developed by Google. The Android operating system is open-source, which allows different manufacturers, such as Motorola, Samsung and HTC, to produce and customize Android phones.

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As of 2015, all Android phones feature touch screens and desktops. The number of desktop screens varies by manufacturer, with Android phones supporting from three to seven screens. Some Android phones support hardware keyboards, while others offer large, high-resolution screens. The Google Play store is available on Android phones and provides access to a marketplace of apps, which gives users more smartphone customization options. Android phones with cameras record video in addition to taking still photos, although front-facing and rear-facing camera options are decided by the handset manufacturer.

The Android operating system is based on the open-source Linux operating system and is highly customizable, which means Android phones built by Samsung can look and function differently than those made by Motorola. Android phones made by Motorola feature the Motoblur interface, which aggregates social network feeds for improved readability. Android phones by Samsung use the Touchwiz interface to make it easier to access frequently used phone features and social networks.

Handset manufacturers are free to choose which version of the Android operating system to use and are not required to upgrade to the latest platform version.